Cars, bicycles learning to 'share the road'

They think they own the road, the way they hog the lane, make sudden movements and turn without signaling. Cyclists or motorists? This summer in Massachusetts, it could be both.

By Nancy Reardon

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Nancy Reardon

Posted Jun. 27, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 27, 2008 at 8:52 PM

By Nancy Reardon

Posted Jun. 27, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 27, 2008 at 8:52 PM

» Social News

They think they own the road, the way they hog the lane, make sudden movements and turn without signaling. Cyclists or motorists? This summer in Massachusetts, it could be both. The two groups are learning how to coexist on the pavement as surging gas prices, the desire for a healthier lifestyle and concerns about global warming drive more adults to trade in four wheels for two.

But bike-friendly roads are a few decades behind the need for them. The state’s 2007 bicycle transportation plan is on schedule to evaluate need and develop bike paths, bike lanes, storage facilities and better signage and enforcement – by 2030.

So until the infrastructure catches up, cycling advocates are promoting a “Share the Road” message directed at motorists and new bikers alike who may not know the rules of engagement.

They say you never forget how to ride a bike, but there’s a lot to know before pedaling along with traffic, said David Watson, executive director of MassBike, which is working to launch an awareness campaign for bikes and motorists in the coming weeks.

Massachusetts is not exactly a state with a reputation for patient drivers. They don’t like slower-moving traffic, and they know how to use a horn. And when the street just doesn’t seem wide enough for two, impatience sometimes prevails.

Jim Lewis, a cyclist from Hyde Park who loves the scenic roads through the Blue Hills, recalls a near-accident when a motorist on Chickatawbut Road tried to pass him and a friend. They were cruising downhill at about 30 to 35 mph in single file, as dictated by law for cyclists in groups. The driver crossed the median to pass them, then swerved back to avoid oncoming traffic, almost forcing Lewis off the road.

“When I reached the traffic light and pointed out to the woman that she had endangered all of our lives and broken the law just to get around us, with some antipathy she said: ‘I don’t care,’” Lewis said.

Despite mutual road frustrations, the number of motor accidents involving cyclists has increased only slightly over the past five years, according to records from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

There were 1,058 such accidents reported to the Registry in 2006, the last year available, up from 931 in 2002, said Registry spokeswoman Ann Dufresne.

The Registry, which receives about 20 to 30 driver complaint forms each week, received only nine complaints from cyclists in the past four months, Dufresne said.

According to cyclists and Shane Jordan, director of outreach at MassBike, many incidents do not get reported because they result in only scrapes, bruises or hot tempers.

“Massachusetts seems to have very low fatality rates, and it’s unexpected, because people tend to think Massachusetts drivers are wild and unpredictable,” Jordan said, adding, “But I guess they’re really good at dodging people on the street.”